


lover

by sleeepybear



Category: Persona 4
Genre: F/M, M/M, Oneshot, Series of Oneshots, i made it anyway, no one asked for this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-29 04:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20428928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeepybear/pseuds/sleeepybear
Summary: Snapshots into a relationship that's more true then anything they've ever known.------------------------------------ALL SONG LYRICS DO NOT BELONG TO ME, THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. I CLAIM NO OWNERSHIP. PLEASE DON'T COPYRIGHT ME





	lover

**Author's Note:**

> so basically
> 
> this is a series of quick one shots, each based on one UNIQUE line of taylor swift's 'lover'. no one asked for this but i literally do not care. that being said im only writing a prompt for the lines in the chorus once because im a weak woman
> 
> they're NOT in chronological order. hell, this may be a ton of parallel universes. they're all stand alone one shots so just keep that in mind
> 
> but yea  
enjoy

** _We can leave the Christmas lights up ‘till January_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _This is our place, we make the rules_ ** **  
** **  
** **  
**   
“There we go.”   


  
Kanji gets off his stepladder to admire his work.    


  
“You need some help, Naoto?” He looks to his fiancee, who’s struggling with the Christmas lights a considerable amount.   


  
“I’m fine.” She replies, managing to get her half up, stepping off her own ladder to join Kanji in admiring their lights.   


  
“They’re ah.. Bit crooked.” He says. It’s true, probably because of the height difference. Naoto’s half of the lights are farther down on the wall outside Tatsumi Textiles then his.    


  
“They’re perfect.” Naoto insists, leaning against his arm.    


  
“You sure? Cuz, I could fix em--” He starts to offer, but she not so gently smacks his arm. “Ow! Hey!”   


  
“They’re  _ perfect,  _ Kanji.” She huffs, now hugging his arm. “Because they’re ours.”   


  
This is this first Christmas together as an engaged couple, moved into the same house. Which has a lot of weight on it, really. Kanji honestly has no clue how he managed to convince this girl to date him, much less marry him, but here they are.    


  
The wedding is in a few months. He’s never been so excited for something in his life.   


  
The cold brings him out of his thoughts and back to reality. It’s seeping through his gloves.   


  
“Hey. ‘s kinda cold, we should go back in.” He looks to Naoto. She seems utterly enchanted by the lights.    


  
“Just a moment longer.” She insists.   


  
And when has he ever been able to deny her?   


  
\--------------------   
  


** _And there’s a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you dear_ ** ** _  
  
_ **

  
  


Kanji Tatsumi really was… something.   


  
Naoto had typed out an email to her grandpa. He was in the states right now, the time difference makes it difficult to nail each other down for a proper phone call, so email would have to do.    


  
As she scanned over what she’ll send to him, the name ‘Tatsumi’ comes up… often. Which isn’t a bad thing, right? He was most likely the next victim, she needed grandpa’s advice on this one. The Inaba case was like nothing she or her grandfather had ever seen.    


  
Fi nally deciding just to send it, Naoto closes her laptop and sighs. She has a meeting with Tatsumi tomorrow, she needs to be well rested and ready for it.    


  
So the pajamas go on, teeth are brushed, her face is washed, and she dives into a western style bed that’s honestly more like a cloud than anything. Naoto may not sleep often, but when she does, she sleeps in style.   


  
Tonight, despite her wanting to get rest for tomorrow, she can’t help but think about Tatsumi. His strange reaction to her today, especially when she expressed that she was interested in him due to the case. What a strange boy.   


  
She’ll speak with him tomorrow.   
  


\--------------------   
  


** _Have I known you twenty seconds, or twenty years?_ **

  
  
  


Their bond was strange.   


  
Naoto and Kanji had just… clicked together. Like puzzle pieces finally finding each other. Even before they were dating, they were close.   


  
Like in a past life, they had been something to each other. It showed itself in different ways.   


  
Sitting at the meeting table at Junes, their knees pressed together under the table and out of sight. A hand on her shoulder while she tries to think through their next move in the case. Sneaky hand holding in the hallway between classes, just for a fleeting moment. A night spent curled up together on the couch there, a quick (and incredibly shy) kiss on the cheek here.   


  
And the first time they kissed, properly kissed, it was like someone sent a Zio straight down her spine.    
  


\--------------------

  
** _Can I go where you go?_ ** _   
  
_

  
  


He knew she had to go.   


  
Naoto’s work was important. She always left with a kiss, a promise to return as soon as possible, and nothing more. But that never helped.    


  
Every time she was gone, it was like she took a part of his soul with her. The bed they shared was too cold, the house they inhabited too empty. When he worked, while she was away, he’d see glimpses of a soft smile or a blue coat in the corner of his eye. Only to turn, and find it had been his imagination.    


  
He’d broken a good amount of knitting needles, when she left.   


  
It’s late in the States right now. That’s where she is. But god, he needs to hear her voice.    


  
Skype is booted up, and he’s calling her, holding his breath. One ring, two, three, and then a little ‘boop’ noise, and his wife’s face is appearing on the screen.    


  
“Kanji, it’s 10 PM here.” She grumbles. And she  _ looks _ tired, probably having just gotten back to her hotel from work, based on the fact that she was still in her pantsuit. He knew that pantsuit well, he made it, of course.   


  
“I-I know.” He stumbles, and her face changes from mild annoyance to concern. Damn it. She was too intuitive for her own good.   


  
“Is something wrong?” She asks, voice much softer than it was before.   


  
“No. Yes. Maybe.” He finally settles on maybe. “I just really needed to see ya, babe.”    


  
“I.. I understand the feeling.” She takes a deep breath. “I’ll be home soon, Kanji, it’s just a few weeks.”   


  
“I know. But god, I miss ya.” He nearly falls apart right then and there. Without her home to hold him together, what’s keeping him from crumbling?   


  
Naoto is thinking hard. He can tell, because whenever she’s thinking hard, her forehead wrinkles in this particular way and the corners of her mouth turn down in something that’s not quite a frown, but not quite a neutral expression either.   


  
“What if I leave the call on for a while? And we could… both, sleep?” She suggests, then frowns fully. “It’s pretty early in Japan, though..”   


  
“Nah, nah, it’s fine, I could take a nap.” He can hardly sleep without her, anyway.   


  
“Alright. Let me get ready.”    


  
And she does just that.   


  
While he watches the love of his life drift off, and his own eyelids grow heavy, Kanji can’t help but wish she was home already.   


  
Somehow, he knows she feels the same.   
  


\--------------------

  
  


** _Can we always be this close, forever and ever?_ **

  
  
  


Naoto was great.   


  
Smart, beautiful, confident, it makes him the luckiest man on the goddamn planet.

But the mornings with her, those were his favorite.   
  
Naoto was always working. A flurry of motion, of notes and case files and briefcases. Always thinking, always taking care to be the detective she was.    
  
But on those rare occasions where he got to wake up before her, well. That’s where he truly felt his heart nearly burst with affection.   
  
Her hair would be a mess of blue, and she’d look to peaceful, safe from her worries and anxieties for a little while longer. Lips parted in the tiniest little ‘o’ that made him want to lean in and kiss her until she finally woke up, but that would ruin it. So he’s content to tuck that messy hair behind her ear, and wait patiently until she wakes. She’ll open her eyes, and it’ll take a second for them to focus, and finally he’d be hit with that soft smile and a quiet ‘good morning, Kanji.’   


  
And then he’d kiss her breathless.

  
  


\--------------------

  
  


** _And ah, take me out, take me home_ ** _   
  
_

  
  


“I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Naoto.”

He kept apologizing. She just keeps shaking her head.   


“It’s fine. We’re not familiar with Tokyo, you couldn’t have known.”   
  
It was her night off from work here in the big city, working on a case. And she had brought Kanji with her. The long weeks away from each other had grown to be too much, so he had started tagging along on cases.    
  
On her night off, he had decided to take her out for dinner. It had ended up being quite a disaster.    
  
“We don’t need to go to such a fancy restaurant, anyway. All I need is you, not fifty thousand yen food.” She comments, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together as they walk down the city streets.   
  
“Yeah, but where’re we gonna eat?”    
  
“You.. bring up a good point.” Naoto pauses. She scans the immediate area…   
  
“How about there?” She looks to her fiance, pointing at the Big Bang Burger sitting on the corner of the street.   
  
“Fast food?” He looks down at their clothes. “We ain’t dressed for  _ that. _ ”   
  
“Who cares?” She shrugs, and tugs him over.   
  
The employees at the Big Bang Burger get a real kick out of the fancy looking couple, laughing over their burgers and occasionally throwing fries at each other.   
  


\--------------------

  
  


** _You’re my, my, my, my,_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _Lover_ **

  
  
  


The summer days in Inaba get  _ incredibly _ hot.   
  
To the point of it's not even worth moving.   
  
The air conditioner clunks and chugs, trying to cool down the apartment above Tatsumi Textiles. It’s not doing a great job.   
  
“We have  _ got  _ to replace that thing.” Naoto says, in her most revealing outfit that she’ll entertain. Which is a t-shirt and shorts.   
  
“You’re telling me.” Kanji, equally as hot, has the slight mercy of being able to remove his shirt. The only problem is--   
  
“Ugh, my whole back is stickin’ to the couch.” He groans, leaning forward. There is, indeed, a Kanji shaped stain. Ew. “Why’d we buy a leather couch?”   
  
“To not have stains. But it seems it doesn’t matter, now.” Naoto leans her head back. “I’m melting either way.”   
  
There’s a quiet moment.   
  
“Kanji. What are you doing.”   
  
She opens her eyes only to see him leaning waaaay over towards her.   
  
“I’m gonna kiss you.” He declares.    
  
“Don’t you dare touch me. I’m hot enough as it is.” She whines, but he only comes closer, making her lean away.   
  
“Don’t fight it, Naoto, I’m gonna smooch ya.” The biggest shit eating grin on his face. She playfully smack at his arms.    
  
“Don’t!” Naoto whines, and he descends onto her, peppering her face with kisses.   
  
The playfight that ensues is enough to convince them to go to Junes and sit in the air conditioning there.   
  


  
  


\--------------------

** _We could let our friends crash in the living room _ ** **  
** ** _This is our place, we make the calls_ ** **  
**   
  


“Everything will be fine, Naoto.”    
  
Kanji assures her, pulling her closer. “You’re overthinking it, like ya always do.”   
  
She huffs, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. Her  _ fiance, _ now, her brain reminds her. The thought makes her a bit giddy, and a lot more anxious.   
  
“We’ve been datin’ for how long?”    
  
“Four and a half years.”    
  
“And we’ve been livin’ together how long?”   
  
“Two years.”   
  
“An’ how supportive are our friends?”   
  
“Very.”   
  
“So how do you think it’ll go when we announce our engagement tonight?”   
  
“There’s still the possibility it will go poorly!” She protests, and he just sighs.   
  
“You’re impossible, y’know that… well, do ya trust me?” He tries a new angle, a different tactic to calm her nerves.   
  
“Of course.” She answers without even having to think. Of course she trusts him.   
  
“Well I say that it’s gonna go great. And ya trust me, so you have to believe it.” He grins at her, and she frowns right back.    
  
\---   
  
“So… you may be wondering why Naoto and I asked ya all here.”    
  
Kanji opens up the conversation.    
  
Their good friends, all of them- Yu, Yosuke, Rise, Yukiko, Chie, even Teddie decided to show up. They’re all here, sitting on various surfaces. Some on the couch, some on cushions on the floor, others smushed three to the love seat.    


  
“Besides hanging out with your friends who you care about?” Yu quips, raising his eyebrows at them.   


  
“Besides that.” Naoto rolls her eyes, waving him off. “It’s.. well, Kanji and I..” She looks to Kanji, then to her friends…   


  
And holds up her hand. Upon her ring finger, an engagement ring that Kanji had saved up for, without her knowledge, since highschool.   


  
There’s a pause, and then Rise  _ squeals, _ jumping up out of the loveseat and pointing at Yosuke. “I knew it! Pay up, Hanamura, I was right!”    


  
Yosuke groans, putting his head in his hands. Yu pats his back supportively.    


  
“Y-you.. Bet on this?” Naoto can’t say she’s that surprised.   


  
“Uhuh! Yosuke thought you guys were moving away, and I thought it was you were getting married. And I was right! And now I get a thousand yen!” Rise has never looked this triumphant. 

  
“ _ Damn  _ it.” Yosuke groans some more, mourning the loss of his money.    


  
“This should be cause for celebration.” Yukiko adds, ignoring the mourning of money.   


  
“Yeah! We should go out somewhere!” Chie suggests, excitedly.   


  
“Where? To Junes?” Rise scoffs, and Chie deflates a bit. Yukiko pats her back, whispering to her best friend that she would’ve been fine with Junes. Which seems to make Chie feel a bit better.   


  
“We should totally stay here, and have a cool sleepover!” Rise declares.    


  
As the idol starts ordering people around, some taking it better than others, Naoto looks to Kanji. “It seems this isn’t our show, now.” She muses. Kanji ruffles her hair.   


  
“ Yeah, well, thas’ just how Rise is.” His thoughtful expression melts into a shit eating grin. “So, was I right, or was I right?”    


  
“Quiet.” Naoto tries to glare, but it’s not intimidating at all.   


  
They spend the night all squished on various furniture pieces, one big pile of people and friends, watching badly dubbed movies until they all just about pass out.   
  
  


\--------------------

  
  


** _And I’m highly suspicious, that everyone who sees you wants you_ **   
  
  
“I don’t like how that dude’s lookin’ at ya.”   


  
Kanji glances over to Naoto, who’s sitting at her desk. He came here to the station to bring her lunch. It’s not often that she gets home cooked meals while working cases like this, and he’s basically taken it into his own hands to make sure she gets proper nutrition.    


  
“Hm? What do you mean?” She looks up from the bento he packed her, that damn detective look on her face. That one that says she’s not that entirely confused as to what you’re saying, but she’s trying to prod you for more information.   


  
“I dunno, there’s too many creepy dudes around here. Acting like they’ve never seen a chick before in their lives.” He grumbles, picking at his own food.    


  
A look of realization crosses her face. “Are you.. Jealous?”   


  
“No!” He denies it, a bit too loud to be convincing. “Nah, I just don't like it.”   


  
“That’s called jealousy.”   


  
“It ain’t!” He protests.    


  
“It  _ isn’t, _ Kanji.” Naoto corrects his grammar without even thinking about it, which  _ really _ rubs him the wrong way.   


  
“Do ya really gotta do that? Jeeze, Naoto…” He huffs.    


  
“What would you have me do? Work from home so no man can see me besides you?” She shakes her head. “While I would enjoy being home more often, it’s impractical. I need to be here at the station.”    


  
“I don’t wanna argue with ya.” He stands up. “I’m leavin’.”   


  
“Kanji-”   


  
“Nah, ‘s fine, you’re at work. Enjoy your lunch, Naoto.”    


  
The fact that he leaves without so much as a hug or a kiss goodbye is a bit much for her to handle.   
  
\---   
  
“Kanji.”    


  
She walks so quietly, that she just about scares him half to death, making him stumble and drop his knitting needles.   


  
“Jeeze, Naoto, you scared the shit outta me!”   


  
She giggles, softly, wrapping her arms around him from behind. “I’m sorry. For that, and for earlier.”   


  
He picks up his needles again, knitting furiously. “Yea, well, ‘s fine.”   


  
“It’s not fine.” Naoto can only hug him so well through the chair he’s on, but she’s trying. “I should not have dismissed your worries. But you understand that I would never even consider the idea of being disloyal to you?”   


  
“I know…” He grumbles. “..’s just, that, when other dudes look at ya like your just a piece of meat, it really gets me, yknow?”    


  
“I know.”   


  
“Cuz you’re more than that! Ya got this mind that’s like nothing else, and honestly, I dunno why you decided to date  _ my _ dumbass--”   


  
“I like your dumbass.” She assures him. Any kind of cursing coming out of her mouth sounds incredibly unnatural. It always makes him laugh a bit. Naoto continues, “Though you’re not dumb.”   


  
“So ya like my ass?”   


  
“I didn’t say that.”   


  
“Ya implied it.”    


  
Naoto just giggles again, coming around to the front of the chair to face him. He looks up from his knitting, and she cups his cheek with her hand.    


  
“I love you dearly, Kanji. I’m sorry.”   


  
And presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth.   


  
“Damn, if you’re doin’ an apology kiss, do it properly.” He mutters. She just snickers, and kisses him properly, right on the lips.   


  
The knitting is forgotten, as she climbs into his lap.    


  
They sit there together for a long time. 

  
  
  


\--------------------

  
  


** _I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, but I want ‘em all_ ** _   
_ _   
_ _   
_ Kanji’s been avoiding her.   


  
They’ve been…  _ tentatively  _ dating for the past year. He had confessed to her during their second year, and now it was their third year. It had been difficult in the beginning, figuring out what a relationship meant to them. But now, he was certainly avoiding her.   


  
Something was on his mind. Her detective tendencies made her want to try and figure it out, but he was her  _ boyfriend,  _ not a suspect to interrogate. It would be wrong to use those kinds of tactics on him. But still…   


  
All these thoughts are in Naoto heads as she descends the stairs at Yasogami High, opening her shoe locker to find a note. Which is surprising. Most people didn’t bother with these, now that she was officially ‘off the market’ as Rise had put it. How strange.   


  
She puts on her outside shoes, tucking the inside shoes safely back into the locker, before inspecting the note. It’s Kanji’s handwriting. The writing has been erased several times, leaving a few rips in the paper, like he couldn’t decide what to write.   


  
_ Naoto, _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Meet me on the riverbank, I have something I want to give you _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Kanji _ _   
_

_   
_ Oh, the riverbank. That had been where he confessed. Well… she should go see what he wants.   
  
Leaving Yasogami, Naoto walks the short distance to the riverbank, finding Kanji there as he had promised he would be. Maybe now is the time she’d figure out what he was hiding from her for a few weeks now.   
  
“Kanji?” Naoto gets his attention, and he jumps, as if he was on edge.    
  
“Y-yeah! Hi! Uh, so you got my note? I mean, I guess ya did, cuz, you’re here.” He’s holding something behind his back.   


  
“What do you have?” She tries to peer around him to see what he has in his hands, but he moves and angles his body so she’s not able.   


  
“That’s why I wanted you to come here, cuz…” He sighs. “Alright, I had this like, big speech prepared. And it doesn’t feel right, so I.. I ain’t gonna say it. So here.”   


  
He holds out a little blue box.   


  
Naoto takes it from him, and opens it to find…   


  
A simple ring, on a chain.   


  
Her face flushes bright red.   


  
“K-Kanji, we’re still in high school, we can’t get  _ married!--” _ She squeaks, and Kanji is quick to shakes his head vehemently.   


  
“N-no! It’s, it’s a promise ring, see? Cuz, it’s, well..” He stumbles over his words for a minute. “It’s like, I give ya this now, and… Rise told me bout this. It’s like, a promise that I’ll give ya a  better ring later! If, that’s okay?” He finally finishes explaining.   


  
Naoto pauses. Was that okay?   
  
…   
  
“Thank you, Kanji.”   
  
“And, see, you can wear it like a necklace! So people don’t assume shit.”   


  
“That’s very thoughtful of you.” She takes the ring out of the box, unhooking the chain from itself. “Will you assist me?”   


  
“Y-yeah, for sure..”   


  
She turns around, and Kanji helps put the necklace on her. It hides away nicely underneath her shirt.   


  
After a brief pause, she hugs him.   


  
“Thank you.”   


  
\---   
  
When Yu comes to visit, during golden week, he smiles knowingly at that ring. Naoto doesn’t even notice.    
  
\--------------------

  
** _Ladies and gentleman, will you please stand?_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _With every guitar string scar on my hand_ ** ** _  
  
_ **

Another long hard day at work.   
  
Normally, Naoto would be coming home to the apartment above Tatsumi Textiles, into the loving warm arms of her husband. But since her case this time is so far away from Inaba, she can’t make the commute every day back and forth. So all she has to come home to is a too cold hotel room, with a bed that’s too empty.

Today however, when she opens her personal laptop, there’s a message for her. On Skype, from Kanji. It’s a video. Curious, Naoto settles herself on the bed, and clicks ‘play.’

  
_ “Hi, Naoto.” _ _   
_

_   
_ It’s Kanji, sitting on their bed back at home. God, what she would give to be back there, snuggled up under that familiar comforter right now.   


  
_ “So uh, you’ve been gone for a while, and I thought to myself, the hell am I gonna do all alone over here? So, Rise started giving me music lessons? And now I think ‘m good enough to show ya, but I don’t want to wait until you’re home. So.” _ _   
_

_   
_ A guitar is pulled into the camera frame, and he holds it in his lap, hands instinctively finding the right positions.   


  
_ “So, uh, here I go.” _   


  
The melody he plays is a relaxing one, and she recognizes the tune. It’s a love song. Of course Rise would be having him practice a love song.   


  
She sits there, quietly listening for a minute or so until it’s done.   


  
_ “Hoped that help ya feel a bit less lonely. I love ya, Naoto. Come home soon.” _   


  
She stares at the ‘play again?’ screen for a moment.   


  
Naoto settles onto her bed, hugging one of the extra pillows. If she just closes her eyes and pretends…   


  
She hits play.    


_   
_ _ “Hi, Naoto. So uh, you’ve been gone for a while…” _ _   
_ _   
  
_

\--------------------

** _I take this magnetic force of a man to be my,_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _Lover_ ** **  
  
**

_ “How could you have lost them! Kanji’s like, two meters tall!” _ _   
_

_   
_ An out of breath Yosuke demands, the shaky camera turning to face him.   


  
_ “I just did! Jeeze, I’m sorry!” _

Rise huffs from behind the camera.   


  
_ “No use in stressing about it now. We just have to find them. We can’t miss this.” _   


  
A sensible Yu can be heard, somewhere out of the shot.   


  
Rise takes off into a run, and just barely within the frame, you can see the other members of the investigation team running alongside her. It seems like they’re in a city, perhaps Okina?   
  
_ “There they are!”  _ _   
_

_   
_ Yukiko’s voice rings out, her pointing finger just visible within the camera frame.    


  
The camera zooms in on Naoto and Kanji, slow dancing together near a fountain. There’s a street band playing slow music along with them. There’s a small crowd as well, but they don’t obscure the camera.   


  
_ “So cute…”  _   


  
Chie is heard behind the camera, sighing quietly.   


  
The song fades out, and Kanji steps back. Naoto looks confused.   


  
And he gets down on one knee, pulling a small box out of his pocket.   


  
_ “Oh. My. GOD.”  _ _   
_

_   
_ Rise squeals, and the camera shakes from her excitement.   


  
_ “Shut up, you’re missing it!”  _   


  
Yosuke scolds her from out of the shot.   


  
Kanji’s words can’t be heard from this distance, but it seems like Naoto has started to cry. She enthusiastically nods her head yes.   


  
Kanji puts the ring on her finger, standing up, and enveloping her in a hug. The crowd breaks into cheers.   


  
The camera shakes uncontrollably as the rest of the team races towards them, cheering as well.    


  
The video cuts out there.   
  
  
\--------------------

  
** _My heart’s been borrowed and yours has been blue_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _All’s well that ends well to end up with you_ **

  
  


Kanji used to get nightmares.   
  
Naoto hardly sleeps, working on casefiles late into the night. But Kanji sleeps like a rock, as long as she’s there in bed.   
  
She’d be reading a case file, or a book, or a magazine. And he would whimper, his hold on her becoming much tighter. She would stroke his hair, gently whisper comforts, until the whines faded out and his hold was loose once more.   
  
At times, it would be so bad that she’d have to wake him to save him from himself, at which point he’d spew apologies and feel bad for waking her. She would tell him don’t be silly, she wasn’t sleeping anyway, he couldn’t control his own nightmares, it was fine.   
  
She hated when she had to wake him.   
  
Because on those nights where she did, he’d make her put her book or case file or magazine down. Make her turn off her soft light, that was just enough to read by. Make her try to rest.   
  
And she’d be the one cursed with nightmares as she slept, unable to deny him anything, forced to close her eyes and dream dreams where she’s powerless.   
  
Part of her still can’t help but wonder what changed. She used to feel nothing for anyone, besides a vague affection for her grandfather. But after her shadow, it was like a whole world of emotion was open to her. As if someone had just given her a heart, forced her to feel the emotions she had ignored for so long.   
  
If that was the case, she knew who had done that to her.   
  
Kanji doesn’t get nightmares anymore.   
  
For that, she’s grateful.    
  
  
\--------------------   
  
** _Swear to be over-dramatic and true to my_ **

** _Lover_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _  
  
_ **

Okay. It's all set.

A fancy dinner at home, a trip to Okina, a movie, and then… well, he didn't plan that far, but it's fine.

All Kanji has to do is wait for Naoto to come home.

…

She comes home late, by about half an hour. Which isn't as bad as it could have been, but still. Damn.

Kanji hears the key turn in the lock to their shared home, and he jumps up to greet her.

"Welcome home, babe." He tugs her in a tight hug, which she hardly returns. 

Kanji stands back, and helps her take off her coat. "I got plans for us tonight, so, don't get comfy just yet."

She looks at him, and he knows immediately his plans are out the window.

"I'm sorry, Kanji. I'm so tired… can we reschedule?" She asks, softly. He can feel his shoulders deflate.

"Y-yeah, for sure. I just…"

"Thank you." She trudges into the house, plopping face down onto the couch.

Okay, that's fine. They'll just skip the Okina part, maybe they'll walk through the shopping district and pick up snacks for later, maybe visit the shrine.

"I made dinner." He gently prods her side. She weakly smacks his hand away.

"I'm not hungry right this minute, Kanji. Eat without me." She sits up. "I'm going to go and take a shower."

With that, she leaves him to head to the bathroom, unknowingly dashing his hopes of a nice night out.

He sits down, listlessly chewing on a dinner that was supposed to be for two. And when she finally joins him, she sits down without a word, just as he's cleaning up his own plates.

"This is fancier than usual." She mutters. He silently puts his plates in the kitchen sink.

"And.. colder than usual." She adds.

Kanji drops the remaining plates into the sink, with a loud  _ crash _ , startling her.

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't have been cold, if you weren't late, and didn't go and take a shower instead of eating. So there ya go, genius. Warm it up yourself. You know how to use a microwave, at least."

"Kanji--"

He leaves the kitchen in a huff, heading to the guest room. It doubles as a sewing room for him.

It's not soon after he sits down with his latest project that she appears in the doorway.

"Kanji." Naoto speaks his name softly, like he's an animal she might spooky away if she's too loud.

"Whaddya want?" He grumbles, nearly stabbing himself with a sewing needle. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't…"

"Ya didn't mean to, I know." His anger deflates. "It was a stupid idea anyway."

"No. Not stupid." He can hear Naoto approach, see her coming closer out of the corner of his eye. She easily inserts herself into his lap, putting herself between him and his sewing.

"You're right to be angry. I haven't spent enough time with you as of late."

"I know work is important 'n stuff, but… I feel like I haven't seen ya in forever. I miss ya, Naoto." He reaches up to touch his own face, surprised to find that… his cheeks are wet.

"I miss you too." She presses a kiss to his forehead. "Once I'm done with this job, we'll do anything you want."

"Anything?" He asks, hating how he sounds like a kid being consoled.

"Anything." She nods, and this time, kisses his nose. 

Finally properly putting down his sewing, she gets off his lap and tugs him out of his seat. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To the living room."

A movie in Okina isn't as nice as a movie on the couch. He can hold her closer this way.

  
  


\--------------------

** _And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me_ **

** _  
_ ** “That was foul!”

  
  
Naoto laughs, pushing her husband away. He just returns, pressing more kisses to the side of her neck.

  
  
“But you’re laughin’, that’s gotta count for something, huh?” Kanji is trying not to laugh, but failing miserably.

  
  
“You have quite a mouth on you, Kanji Tatsumi.” Naoto drops her shoulder, allowing him more access to the side of her neck.

  
  
“Oh? How bout I show ya what else this mouth can do?” He  _ purrs, _ and that just makes her laugh more.

  
  
“Give it your best shot.”   
  
  


\--------------------   
  
** _And at every table, I’ll save you a seat_ **

** _Lover_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _  
_ ** ** _  
_ **   
She’s not sure what’s worse, knowing that he’s here and not seeing him, or being uncertain as to where exactly he is.

  
  
Both are pretty bad.

  
  
The wedding had been beautiful. Yosuke and Yu had to fly out to the states in order to get married, and of course every one of their friends made time to attend. Nanako had made the cutest flower girl.   
  
It’s the reception now, a small venue with only their closest friends attending. The only problem is, the seat next to her is currently empty. Naoto’s already had to fend Rise away from it, forcing her friend to sit on a seat one chair away from her.

  
  
Naoto hears footsteps behind her, turning to see Kanji racing towards her. He sits in the seat next to her.

  
  
“Sorry. Fashion emergency, a button on Yu’s suit came off.” He explains, out of breath. 

  
  
“That’s fine. I was just worried.” She plants a kiss on his cheek.

  
  
“Thanks, babe.” He grins at her, and she grins back. Rise makes a fake vomiting noise.

  
  
“Save the lovey dovey stuff for the people actually getting married, you two!” She scolds.

  
  
The doors open, and there’s the happy couple, holding hands, flushed, grinning.

  
  
_ “Now introducing, Mr. and Mr. Narukami!” _

  
  


\--------------------   
** _  
_ ** ** _Darling, you're my, my, my, my_ **

** _Lover_ **   
  
  
The quiet moments are the best ones.    
  
Naoto let her head lean against Kanji’s chest, as they gently sway back and forth. The evening sun is shining on Inaba, shining on them, streaming through the blinds in their living room.    
  
There’s no music. They don’t need it.   
  
Naoto looks up to her husband, her lover, her soulmate. As he looks back at her, the softest smile on her face, she sees the golden sunlight hit his hair, illuminating it. Just around the edges.

  
It almost looks like a halo. 

**Author's Note:**

> hey welcome to the end
> 
> this was self indulgent and i do not care
> 
> as always pls tell me what ya thought because i need validation and love thank u


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